The present invention relates generally to a lacrosse stick. More specifically the present invention relates to an improved lacrosse pocket for a lacrosse head. The improvements include specialized pieces that run substantially along the longitudinal length of the lacrosse head wherein the specialized pieces include a multi-material construction and openings spaced along the length of the specialized pieces to facilitate construction of the pocket and attachment of the pocket to the lacrosse head. Other improvements include tubular elements laterally spaced across the width of the lacrosse head. These tubular elements facilitate adjustment of the lacrosse pocket in relation to the lacrosse head and facilitate better control of the lacrosse ball within the lacrosse head and shooting or passing accuracy of the lacrosse ball from the lacrosse head.
It will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that lacrosse is a fast-growing sport. It will further be appreciated that lacrosse sticks are essential to playing the game. A lacrosse stick is comprised of a handle portion attached to a head. The lacrosse head is a collection, catching, or basket type, element that consists generally of a frame and a pocket. The frame of the lacrosse head is usually comprised of polymers, such as DuPont Xytl brand nylon. The lacrosse frame includes an open, or upper, side for catching and discharging a lacrosse ball and a lower side to which a net or pocket is attached for holding the ball. The lacrosse frame is used to impart the force upon the ball in order to shoot or pass the ball. The lacrosse frame generally has a throat section that includes a ball stop for impacting a ball and a socket for receiving the handle. A pair of sidewalls is attached to the throat section proximate to the ball stop and are joined distal from the throat section by a lip, or scoop section.
Traditionally, a pocket for a lacrosse head is hand assembled by a player using two or more cross members, or strings, with two or more longitudinal members, or runners. The runners and strings work together to form a pocket and are secured to the frame of the head using a combination of the runners, the cross pieces, and ties that attach to the cross pieces and the frame of the lacrosse head. Additionally, a lacrosse pocket can include other lateral members spanning the distance between the sides of the lacrosse head. These lateral members, which are often called shooting strings, are used to adjust the depth and tension within the pocket and allow a particular player to customize the lacrosse head to his or her preferred shooting style and technique.
In the game of lacrosse, the head is used to catch the ball, hold the ball, and pass or shoot the ball. To this end, there have been several attempts to improve the lacrosse head to enhance the playing of lacrosse.
Additionally, a lacrosse players' pocket may take months to “break in.” During this period, the player utilizes the stick and becomes accustomed specifically to the pocket and how the pocket subtly changes during the course of play. A player will make adjustments to the pocket to make it personalized to his or her use. As such, the pockets can be described as the most crucial part of the lacrosse stick because it is the basis for good ball control, accurate passing, and fast accurate shooting.
There are currently at least three popular ways to construct lacrosse pockets:
1—Traditional: braided nylon or polyester lace woven between sidewall and longitudinal runners (sometimes referred to as thongs). The runners are traditionally leather or braided nylon and run between the scoop and inside throat area. The pocket is woven to the head as it is being created. Many traditional pockets comprise four runners, cross lacing, and side wall stringing. These materials are typically hand woven or strung in the traditional manner to form a pocket. The stringing and/or weaving of a traditional pocket is very labor intensive is typically done by hand.
Additionally, stringing a traditional pocket requires skill. Lacrosse players who do not have stringing skills are often required to hire independents that do. Alternatively, one can buy a head factory strung by the lacrosse manufacturer. If a lacrosse stick is purchased unstrung (without a pocket), then a stringing “kit” must be purchased. This kit includes material for weaving a traditional pocket.
Today, the traditional pocket is standard to the industry and is the most popular pocket among lacrosse players.
2—Mesh: machine woven nylon mesh is pre-manufactured and later attached to the sidewalls, scoop and inside throat areas. The mesh pockets consist of a polyester or nylon material woven together to create a diamond mesh (much like a mesh gymnastic bag). This mesh material is machine made and is the integral body of the pocket. A mesh material only allows for one consistent weave pattern.
3—Traditional/Mesh: a head that is strung with a combination of pre-manufactured mesh, hand woven lace and longitudinal runners.
The following U.S. patent generally describe the art of lacrosse sticks and heads, and are expressly incorporated herein by reference: U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,561,932; 6,066,056; 5,938,550; 5,935,026; 5,651,549; 5,568,925; 5,425,541; 5,178,397; 5,048,843; 4,657,260; 4,270,756; 4,138,111; 4,049,273; and 4,037,841.
Additionally, U.S. Pat. No. 6,447,410 has a head for a lacrosse stick that includes a web for receiving the ball wherein the web is attached to the frame of the head and includes one or more tube like shooting string elements extending between the sidewalls of the lacrosse head. Additionally, this patent discloses one or more tube like thong elements extending longitudinally between the scoop and the stop of the frame. In this patent, all of these tube-like elements extend completely across the width or the length of the lacrosse head. This patent fails to realize the shortcomings of solid tube like materials spanning the entire width or length of the lacrosse pocket. These thong type elements are required to be weaved in and out of the other runners or cross members which causes uncontrolled undulations in the pocket that can alter the control, shooting, and passing of the ball from the lacrosse head so constructed.
Additionally, the prior art fails to appreciate the use of longitudinal members, or runners, composed of multiple materials that facilitate construction of the runners as well as a more controlled surface for the ball to engage and traverse during play of the game, such as when a ball is controlled within the lacrosse head or expelled from the lacrosse head.
In addition, the prior art fails to realize the need for elements within the runners and cross members that facilitate construction of the lacrosse pocket. This is especially true in view in light of the normal manner in which a lacrosse pocket is made such that each string and/or runner must be completely intertwined and wrapped around at least once, if not multiple times, other elements within the lacrosse head in order to make the lacrosse pocket. This task is made more difficult by the fact that these intertwined movements and lacing should be substantially uniformly spaced throughout the lacrosse head in order to facilitate proper control and expulsion of the ball during a game.
What is needed is a lacrosse head that includes a pocket that has elements to facilitate control of a ball while the ball is in the lacrosse head and expulsion of the ball from the lacrosse head. Preferably, this needed lacrosse pocket includes runners and/or cross pieces having specialized elements that aid in the construction of the pocket and provide a more uniform starting pocket. Additionally, this needed lacrosse pocket can include runners and strings made of multiple materials used to facilitate construction of the pocket and control of the ball when within the pocket and when expelled from the pocket. Additionally, this needed lacrosse head can include control elements substantially uniformly positioned throughout the lacrosse head to enhance the feel of the ball in the lacrosse head and the control of a ball when contained in the lacrosse head and when discharged from the lacrosse head. This needed lacrosse head is presently lacking in the art.